This experimental Wiltshire dwelling is a new home for a couple and is literally born from the landscape. It’s made with materials from the site using rammed-earth. For the owners, living inside its monolithic walls is a uniquely grounding experience. ‘I feel completely cocooned and safe,’ says the wife. ‘It’s so quiet, peaceful and warm,’ … Read more
This 5,660-square-foot home in Hyderabad, India—named Aurva Illam—was built entirely by hand, with hand-poured and hand-rammed earth. The spaces are designed to work with the climate, shaping a home that’s almost monastic with thermal autonomy, and a way of living that makes air-conditioning unnecessary. “From the outset, the intention was to build an earth home … Read more
A farmhouse in Madhya Pradesh, India is situated among winding rows of mango trees. The 1,800-square-foot space is constructed using the ancient technique of rammed earth – a building tradition that has nearly been forgotten in the region. Aptly named ‘Fragrance of Earth’, the farmhouse is as much a cultural project as it is an … Read more
Mark Young has been living a self-sufficient lifestyle on a remote off-grid island in British Columbia for the past 21 years. He has built 9 experimental buildings on his 20-acre property using local and natural materials like wood, stone and cob, including: a cabin for himself, utility buildings for his solar power systems, a sauna … Read more
This project was commissioned by a Waldorf school in Nairobi. The buildings needed to be constructed quickly, cost-effectively (achieving a cost of $250/m² or $23/sf), and with a temporary lifespan, as the plot lease was set to expire in 10 years. The concept was to create a small village for children nestled within the woods, … Read more
Engineers at MIT are using recycled plastic to 3D-print construction-grade beams, trusses, and other structural components that could eventually provide lighter, modular, and more sustainable alternatives to conventional wood-based framing. They have printed four long trusses from recycled plastic, assembled them into a conventional plywood-topped floor frame, and evaluated the structure’s load-bearing capabilities. The printed … Read more